Dill with it: Picklesburgh nominated again for top specialty food festival

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop
Monday, Feb. 3, 2020 5:18 p.m. | Monday, Feb. 3, 2020 5:18 p.m.

Michael DiVittorio | Tribune-Review

Munhall twins Ainsley Kerr, left, and Kainen, both 8 months, compete for a Picklesburgh balloon while their parents, Tom and Allison Kerr, look on.

Michael DiVittorio | Tribune-Review

Darryl Leeper of Pittsburgh entertained Picklesburgh crowds with his soprano sax.

Defending a championship is never easy.

But Picklesburgh will try to win best specialty food festival in the country for the second year in a row. A USA Today readers poll again includes the event as one of the choices for fans to choose.

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership made the announcement via Twitter on Monday.

PICK THE PICKLE: #Picklesburgh has been nominated AGAIN as one of @10Best's Best Specialty Food Festivals in the country ??

Keep the trophy in Pittsburgh by voting here daily: https://t.co/cVlGwkpvM4 pic.twitter.com/goDe1PKh0V

— Downtown Pittsburgh (@DowntownPitt) February 3, 2020

There are 27 days left to vote.

Last year marked the the fifth annual Picklesburgh. It had even more of just about everything.

Picklesburgh bills itself as “The Destination for All Things Pickled,” according to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, which hosts the event one weekend in July.

Attendees have been treated to international dishes, prepared foods and artisan cocktails that featured pickled ingredients. The event also features pickle-juice drinking contests

Michael DiVittorio | Tribune-Review

Thousands of people flocked to the Roberto Clemente Bridge at Ft. Duquesne Boulevard for the fifth annual Picklesburgh celebration.

The Roberto Clemente Bridge is transformed into a space for an assortment of foods and cocktails that feature pickled ingredients. It was so popular last year that the bridge had to be closed down intermittently because there were so many people on it.

Allegheny county officials have closed down to Roberto Clemente Bridge temporarily due to over capacity at Picklesburgh. #OverPicklePopulation pic.twitter.com/aFSAHHKNvU

— Mike D. (@MikeJdiVittorio) July 27, 2019

JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.